Combined seaming and pinking mechanism



June 27, 1944. G. STEVENSON 2,352,572

COMBINED SEAMING AND PINKING MECHANISM Filed Oct. 3; 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet1 1% \L-IHI .I Z INVENTOR v Wily ATTORNEY I June 27, 1944.

G. STEVENSON COMBINED SEAMING AND P INKING MECHANISM Filed 001',- 5,1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 a; lNVEgfOR BY w ATTORNEY Patented June 27, 1944COMBINED SEAMIN G AND PINKING MECHANISM Geoffrey Stevenson, Brookline,Mass, assignor to Lewis Invisible Stit'ch Machine Company, St. Louis,Mo., a corporation of Maine Application October 3, 1940, Serial No.359,515

6 Claims.

The invention herein disclosed relates to a combined seaming and pinkingmechanism for effecting the conjoint seaming and pinking of the materialoperated upon.

An object of the invention herein disclosed is to provide a machine ofthis kind with which various seaming and pinking operations may beperformed. Another object of this invention is to provide a machine ofthis kind in which the pinking mechanism maybe rendered ineffective andthe machine utilized as a plain stitcher. A further object of theinvention is to provide in a machine of this kind a positive drive forthe pinking mechanism.

The foregoing objects and certain advantages that will hereinafterappear are realized in accordance With the invention in the machineillustrated in the drawings and which constitutes one specific exampleof embodiments of the invention. This machine is described below withreferences to the drawings. The drawings inelude: v I

Fig. 1 which is a side elevation of a combined seaming and pinkingmechanism, partly broken away;

Fig. 2 which is a bottom plan of the same;

Fig. 3 which is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 which is a section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 which is a partial plan of the bed of the machine.

The machine illustrated in the drawings comprises an ordinary sewingmachine of the kind known as a plain stitcher and may be the wellknownSinger Class 95-80 machine or amachine of the kind illustrated in theStevenson Patent No.2,l65,312. This machine includes a base i that hastwo depending feet 2 adjacent one end and a sustantially central foot 3adjacent the other or needle end. The central depending foot or lug 3 isprovided with an extension 4 which, in the particular machineillustrated, is the head of a machine screw that is threaded into thebottom of the lug. Upon these three lugs, the machine rests when it isnot mounted in a table. Extending upwardly from the base, there is theusual standard 5 from which extends an arm 6 that carries at the endthereof a stitching head I. The arm 6 is shown broken away to illustratethe main shaft 8 which extends through the arm 6, is journaled thereinand extends through the standard 5. On the end of this shaft,. extendingfrom the standard 5 the usual hand Wheel and pulley 9 is secured.

The needle ID of the stitching head cooperates with the usual rotaryloop taker I l for forming a lock stitch. The loop taker is mounted onthe end of a shaft l2 that is'journaled in the lug 3 tending through thestandard 5. In this manner,

thehook H is operated in timed relation with respect to thereciprocations of the needle l0. The machine is necessarily providedwith the usual throat plate I3 having the needle opening M, the usualfeed dogs I5 for feeding the .cloth past the needle and the operating.mechanism therefor. I v

The pinking mechanism is applied to the sewing machine and is arrangedto be driven from the main shaft of the machine through a positive driveconnection. This pinking mechanism includes a female knife l6, that isflush with the bed of the machine and the needle plate, and that has anopening therethrough. The opening in the female knife includes arectangular portion [6a and a V-shaped portion ll. The edges of theV.-shaped portion of the opening form converging cutting edges whichcooperate with cutting edges on a male knife 18, having-an overhangingsection IQ of a shape comparable to the opening through the femaleknife, to effect a V-shaped cut in the material operated upon. The maleknife is mounted to be reciprocated in the female knife and theoverhanging V-shaped portion 19 thereof cooperates with the edges of thefemale knife to effect a V-shaped out upon downward movement of the maleknife for movement in a direction to withdraw from the female knife.

The male knife includes arecta-ngular portion 20 that is secured to theupper end of a knife carrier 2| by a machine screw 22. The knifecarrier'ZI is curved as indicated in Fig. 4 so that the upper end of theknife carrier is approximately in line with the needle and the lower endof the carrier is to one side of the hook shaft 12. The curvature oftheiknife carrier 2| is such as to provide room for1the set screws bywhich the hook II is secured on the end of the hook shaft l2. The knifecarrier is pivotally mounted ,between its ends upon -a shaft 23 thatextends from and is secured to the adjacent end of a lever 24. A collar25 is provided and secured to the shaft 23 to prevent sideward movement,of the knife carrier on the shaft. The lever 24 is :pivotally mountedbetween its ends upon a shaft 26 of the base adjacent the needle whichis of lesser thickness.

The lever 24 is actuated about its pivotal mounting on the shaft 26 toeffect reciprocatory The opposite end of the link '39 is pivotally secured to the end of the lever 24.

This toggle may be broken to render ineffective the drive connectionbetween the levers 24 and 31. The pivot by which the two links 36 and 39are secured together is provided with a head 40 having a ball sockettherein which receives the ball 4| of a fitting 42. The fitting 42 isbored transversely and receives a rod 43 that is provided with collars44 and 45, one on each side of the fitting 42. The rod is connected atits other end to a fitting 46 having a ball 41 that is received in a:ball socket 48 secured on a crank movement of the male knife in thefemale knife.

The angle of the cutting edges of the maleknife is slightly less thanthe angle of the cutting edges of the female knife and the cutting edges7.

of the male knife are resiliently urged into cutting relation with thecutting edges of the female knife by a spring 29. This spring isconnected at one end to a machine screw 30 secured in the lower end ofthe knife carrier 21, that is, the end of the knife carrier on the sideof its pivotal axis opposite to the side which carries the male knife.The other end of the spring 29 is secured in an eye 31 having athreadedshankthat extends through a lug 32 formed on and extending from thelever 24. On the end of the shank extending through the lug there is anut which abuts against the lug 32 and prevents the eye frompullingthrough the lug. By adjusting the.

nut'33, the force of the Spring may be increased or lessened.

-It will be seen that this spring 29 tends to cause the knife carrier 2!to move about its pivotal axis in a direction to movethe apex of themale knife towards the apex of the female knife. Such movement isresisted by the engagement of the edges of the male knife with the edgesof the female knife. When the male knife extends through the femaleknife, the rectangular portion of the male knife engaging in the rectangular section of the-opening through the femaleknife preventsthe-maleknife from moving forward under the action of the spring. As themale knife enters th female knife and moves in a-direction to bewithdrawn therefrom, the

converging edges of the male knife move-along theconverging edges of thefemale knife. iv.when it is desired to remove the male knife either forsharpening or to replace it, it is desirable that thefcrce of the spring29 b rendered ineffective. is provided. This stop screw extends throughand is threaded in the lever knife carrier 2|. It is. provided with afinger piece 35 through which it may be turned. The end of the stopscrew 34 is positioned to engage a lug 36 formed on the lever 24.Whenthe stopscrew is turned to effect engagement with the lug 36, thespring is rendered ineffective and the knives can be readily removed andreplaced.

. Actuation of the lever 24 to effect reciprocatory movement of the maleknife is effected through a connection to theend of the lever oppositeto that to which the knife carrier 2| is connected. This connection isin the first instance to the end of a lever 31 that is also pivotallymounted on the shaft 26 beside the lever 24. The levers 24 and 31 areconnected together through a toggle that consists of a link 38 pivotallysecured at one end to the lever 31 and a link 39 to one end of which theother end of the link 38 is pivotally secured.

To this end, a stop screw 34 49. The. crank 49 is secured to a shaft 50that extends through the base of the machine and has secured thereon alever 5!. By means of the lever, through the crank 49, the rod 43 andthe collars 44 and 45, the pivot 46 may be shifted so as to-break thetoggle. In Fig. l, the toggle is shown in the operative position, justover dead center, to the right as seen in Fig. l, and against a pin 55.It is held in this position by a spring 52 that extends between thelevers 31 and 24. When the lever 5| is moved away from the standard 5,the collar 45 engages the fitting 42 and breaks the toggle, the spring52 causing the lever 24 to move about its pivot when the toggle isbroken. On opposite movement of the lever 5|, the collar 44 engages thepivot and makes the toggle; carrying the levers to the position shown inFig. 1, slightly over dead center and against the pin 55.

The lever 31 is actuated in timed relation with the needle through apositive. track cam 56 that is mounted upon a shaft 51 journaled in abear-' ing bracket 58 secured to the under side of the arm 6 of thesewing machine. At this point the arm is milled to receive a gear 59that is also secured on the shaft 51 and to the track cam 56. The gear59 meshes with a gear 66 secured on' the main shaft 8 of the sewingmachine. In this way, the track cam 56 is rotated in accordance with themain shaft 8 of the sewing machine. A cam follower 6| mounted on thelever 62, intermediate the ends of the lever 62, extends into the trackof the cam 56. One end of the lever 62 is pivotally mounted at 63between the bifurcated arm of a bracket 64 that is secured on a standard65 extending from and secured in the bed I of the machine. The other endof the lever 62 is connected by a flexible link 66 to one end of aconnecting rod 61 that extends through and is slidable in the standard65. The connecting rod extends through the base of the machine and abracket 68 is secured on the lower end thereof. A flexible link 69connects the bracket 68 to the lever 31. I

It will thus be seen that when the main shaft is rotated, the track camis also rotated through the gear 59. The cam is rotated once for everytwo rotations of the main shaft, that is, the cam rotates once for eachtwo reciprocations of the needle. The cam is designed to move the maleknife in and out of the female knife, on alternate strokes of theneedle, while the needle penetrates the goods and during the time whenthe feed dogs are stationary. It will be seen that as the cam followeris moved up and down by the track cam, the connecting rod 61 is moved upand down in the standard 65. This causes an oscillation of the lever 31which is transmitted, during the operation of the pinking mechanism,through the toggle to the lever 24.

If it be desired to render the pinking mechanism inoperative, the lever5! is moved so that the-collar '45 engages the fitting 42 and'breaksthetoggle. When this occurs, the maleknife is pulled downwardly into thefemale knife, so that the top of the male knife is below the top of thefemale knife, by the spring 52 andthe oscillations ofthe lever 3"! aretaken up by oscillation of the toggle link 38. tionary when the toggleis broken. To render the pinking mechanism again operative it is onlynecessary to move the lever 51 so that the collar lid engages thefitting 42 and again makes the toggle. It will thus be seen that thereis provided a positive drive from the main shaft of the sewing machineto effect the actuation of the pinking mechanism. Within this driveconnection there is provided a mechanism or linkage, specifically thetoggle, by means of which the pinking mechanism may be renderedinoperative at will.

The female knife i6 is supported on and secured to an overhanging plateIt. This plate is secured to the end portion 280 of the bracket 28 andextends towards the center of the machine. With this construction, thepinking-attachment is complete in itself, the needle plate may beremoved from the machine without disturbing the female knife, therelation of the pinking, i. e. the distance of the apex of the cut, tothe needle may be vari d by shifting the bracket 28 and by changing thelength of the plate 79 and changing the male knife, the pinking may beeffected nearer to or farther from the operator, that is adjusted in adirection parallel to the line of feed.

By the use of a folder, pinking may be effected concomitantly withtop-stitching wherein one piece of cloth lies fiat on the bed of themachine, overhanging the bed at the needle end, and the edge of theother is folded over so that the body of the cloth passes under th armof the machine and over the pinking knives, the needle penetrating threelayers of cloth and the stitching appearing on the top of the foldedpiece adjacent the fold. In this way the edges of the two pieces passbetween the knives and top-stitching and pinking is effectedsimultaneously. If it is desired to utilize the sewing machine as aplain stitcher, it is only necessary to actuate the lever to render thepinking mechanism inoperative. When the male knife is drawn within thefemale knife the bed of the machine is clear, a cover of the shape ofthe opening and having depending resilient detents may be inserted inthe female knife and the machine may be used in the manner of anordinary sewing machine. Likewise, it will b apparent that ordinaryplain stitching and pinking may be performed simultaneously on themachine.

It will be obvious that various changes may be made by those skilled inthe art in the details of the embodiment of the invention illustrated inthe drawings and described above within the principle and scope of theinvention as expressed in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a combined seaming and pinking mechanism, the combinationcomprising a frame, stitch-forming mechanism mounted in the frame,operating mechanism for the stitch-forming mechanism, pinking mechanismfor serrating the edge of the material operated upon, and drivemechanism therefor including a positive track cam positively driven bysaid operating mechanism, a cam follower cooperating with the track camand a positive drive connection between the cam follower and the pinkingmechanism includ- The male knife thus remains -sta-' inga longitudinallyreciprocative connecting rod andfiexible connections therewith.

2.. In a combined seaming and pinking mechanism, *the combinationcomprising a frame, stitch-forming mechanism'mounted in the frame,operating mechanism for the stitch-forming mechanism, pinki-ng mechanismfor serrating the edge of: the material operated upon, and drivemechanismtherefor including a. positive track cam positively driven bysaid operating mechanism, a cam follower cooperating with the track camand a positive drive connection between the cam follower and the pinkingmechanism, including a longitudinally reciprocative connecting rod and apivotally connected linkage shiftable to render the pinking mechanismineffective, and means for shifting said linkage.

3. In combination with asewing machine having stitch-forming mechanism,means for operating the stitch-forming mechanism and a worksupportingbase, pinking mechanism including cooperating pinking knives, one ofwhich is substantially vertically reciprocative, an oscillatory leverpivoted between its ends below said worksupporting base, a knife carrierpivotally secured to one end of said lever and arranged to project theknife above said work-supporting base, a positive driv connection foreffecting positive actuation of the lever in both directions of itsoscillations between said operating means for the stitch-formingmechanism and the other end of said pivoted lever including means forrendering said connection inoperative to effect movement of said pivotedlever.

4. In combination with a sewing machine having stitch-forming mechanism,means for operating the stitch-forming mechanism and a worksupportingbase, pinking mechanism including cooperating pinking knives, one ofwhich is substantially vertically reciprocative, an oscillatory leverpivoted between its ends below said worksupporting base, a knife carrierpivotally secured to one end of said lever and arranged to project theknife above said work-supporting base, a positive drive connection foreffecting positive actuation of the lever in both directions of itsoscillations between said operating means for the stitch-formingmechanism and the other end of said pivoted lever including means forrendering said connection inoperative to effect movement of said pivotedlever, and manually operative control means therefor.

5. In combination with a sewing machine having stitch-formin mechanism,means for operating the stitch-forming mechanism and a worksuppo-rtingbase, pinking mechanism including a female knife and a cooperatingsubstantially vertically reciprocative male knife,,an oscillatory leverpivotally mounted below said work-supporting base, a carrier for themale knife pivotally secured to one end of said lever and arranged toproject the male knife-through the female knife, a positive driveconnection for effecting positive actuation of the lever in bothdirections of its oscillations between said operating means for thestitch-forming mechanism and the other end of said pivoted leverincluding means for withdrawing the male knife within the female knifeand rendering said drive connection inoperative to effect movement ofsaid pivoted lever.

6. In combination with a sewing machine having stitch-forming mechanism,means for operating the stitch-forming mechanism and a work supportingbase, pinking mechanism including a female knife having a V-shapedopening therein,

a cooperating substantially vertically reciprocative male knife arrangedto coact with the female knife to effect a cut on the downward stroke, alever pivoted between its ends below said worksupporting base, a knifecarrier for said male 5 knife pivotally secured to one end of saidlever, a second lever pivoted coaxially with said first mentioned lever,toggle-jointed links connecting said levers, a positive drive connectionbetween said second mentioned lever'and said operating means for thestitch-forming mechanism, and manually, releasable means for holdingsaid toggle-jointed links in substantial alignment for transmittingoscillating movement from said second mentioned lever to said firstmentioned lever.

GEOFFREY STEVENSON.

